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J. GRANT, `or rnovrnnncn, RHODE ISLAND.

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. Specification oflietters Patent No.1 8,093, datedlilVIay 13,185.1.

To all whom 'it may concern.' e

Be it known that I, JOSEPH GRANT, in the city and county of Providenceand State of Rhode Island, have invented new and useful Improvements ina i Machine for `Making Bricks, whichI denominate theRotary andLocomotive Brick-Machine; and I do hereby declare that the followingis-a full, clear, and exact `description ofthe construction andoperation of the same, reference being had to the-accompanying drawings,`forming part ofthis specification, in which# Figurel, is a plan. Fig.2, is a side elevation Withoneof the propelling wheels removed. Fig. 3,is an end view of the mold i cylinder, Fig. 4 is a transverse verticalsection of the machine, seen from the back,

showing themold cylinder in longitudinal section. Fig. `5, is atransverse sectional elevation of the mold and pressing cylinders inpart, with hopper attached; appearing as in i operation. "Fig, 6, is aview indetail of a groovedchannel and cam used inwerking the followers.x i i Thesame letters of reference denote similar `parts throughout theseveral figures.

The nature of my invention consists in the use of two cylinders sethorizontally in a suitable framing and revolving in opposite directions,being driven by gearing,n which also propels the machine forward as `thebrick is being made. One of these cylinders is fitted with molds,working in which are followers, forming the bottom of the molds, andoperatedfby rollers moving `in fixed grooved channels and by camsproducing the drop motion. `The second or pressing cylinder is `providedwith plates working and fittinginto the molds of the other cylinder,pressing the clay, which is fed, from a hopper above and between the twocylinders, the clay being drawn into the several molds by its own weightand the revolving motion of the cylinders, and the bricks deposited onthe ground, orsurface prepared for them, in regular layers or line asthe machine moves forward. Aroller in front clears or prepares theground or surface on which the bricks are to lay. The followers` in themolds are covere with cloth or similar material to prevent the clay orsoft bricks from adhering to them, the machine being worked by hand orother power. i

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, Iproceed to describe-'its` construction and` operation.`

A, A, 1s the frame of the machine; B, the

lhopper through which the clay is fed; C, a

leveling roller, serving to carry `the machine, and to clear or preparethe yard for deposit of the bricks.` Itworks in a strap a,

having a `swivel spindle Z ,to admit of the ina-chine being moved aboutin any direction.

D, D, are traveling" or propelling wheels fitted on the mold` cylindershaft c, and

turning with it.

f is the mold cylinder keyed fast to the shaft c. Itis madeof iron orother suitable material and has on its circumference or surface spacesd, CZ, cl, forming themolds, the number of molds `isnot limited to tworows as shown in the drawing but will be dependent upon the lengthof thecylinders as well as the diameter, each moldor space d, d, el, beingonly of thelength of the brick so that the machine may,if required, beconstructed to formthree or more layers.

E2, E2, E2, fare followers or plungers working inward forming the bottomof the molds. They are covered on their top with fine cloth e, e, c, andare of length and breadth so as to fit loose in themolds d, ai, d,

in which they move, motion fbeing given to them by the rollers f, f, f,which turn on spindles g, g, g, running through the cylinder E,lengthwise, "passing through slots z', z', z', at both ends. Thespindlesg, y, g, are connected to the followers E2, E2, E2, by pieces71., it, l1., attached to them, through which the spindles g, g, g,pass; the `rollers f, f, f, as the` cylinder E is caused to ref volve,moving iiXed grooved channels F, F, secured to the framing A,\A`;v` thein-A terior of oneof which is seen in Fig.` 6, being positioned withrelation to the cylinder E in the manner of an eccentric, one at eitherend, butdifferng from an eccentric `in their so i being made of a scrollor irregular 4curve for1nat-ion; the rollersffff,` f, traveling in thegrooved channels `F, F, cause `the followers E2, E2, E2, to move inthemolds cl, d, d, `the followers at their bottom stroke leaving a space inthe` mold equal to or rather exceeding the thickness of a brick and whenforced out working nearly to the outer edge of the mold. i

7c, 7e, Figs. 4c and 6, are cams attached to shafts Z, Z, and sopositioned and set as to form as many `revolutions for one revolution ofthe cylinder E', as there are molds in a single row, causing the cams7c, 7c, one at either end, to strike the rollers f, f, f, two together,that is one at either end, and so on for all the rollers successively.As they assume the position of f', Fig. 6, causing the formed bricks tobe shaken from their molds when arriving at a perpendicular position.The bottom of the mold cylinder E', is situated rather more than thethickness of a brick from the ground or yard surface.

Gr, is the pressing cylinder revolving in the opposite direction to thecylinder E', it is keyed on the shaft m. n, n, n, are pressing platesfitted on the circumference or surface of the cylinder Gr, correspondingto the spaces or molds d, d, d, in the cylinder E, into which they fitor press the clay, they are made thicker at the edge first entering themold, than the finishing or after edge as shown more particularly inFig. 5.

H, is a handle for giving motion to the machine (but the arrangement maybe such that steam or other power may be applied.)

I, is a pinion turned by handle H. It operates a wheel J, on the shaftof which is a pinion N, working into a wheel L, fitted fast to the sideof the cylinder G. The wheel L, is in gear with a corresponding wheel M,attached to the cylinder E, the wheel L also drives a pinion N, on theshaft of which are wheels O, O, one at either end, working into similarwheels P, P, that drive pinions Q, Q, (fitted on the cam shafts Z, Z,which they operate.) The relative proportions of these several wheelsand pinions are such as not only to obtain additional power but tooperate the drop motion formed by the cams 7c, 7c, at a proper time,that4 is to strike the rollers when they assume the position ofV f. Fig.6, so as to release the brick, and likewise to operate the propelling ortraveling wheels which are of a suitable relative diameter, so that themachinewill move at a speed proportioned to the discharge of brickcausing the bricks made, to be deposited regularly side by side inlayers.

The operation is as follows: Clay being put into the hopper B, thehandle H, is made to turn and by wheels and pinions L J, K, L, M, andthe cylinders E, G, are made to revolve in opposite directions as shownby arrows Fig. 5, drawing in the clay, partly forced by tis own weight,into the molds CZ, ,(Z el. The pressin plates a, n', n, entering themolds at their thick edge first, press, and together with the molds,

form the brick. The plates n, n, n, leaving the molds at their thinedge, obviate the tendency which the soft brick has of being pressedthinner at the side or edge receiving the last or latest impression.While the cylinders E', G, are performing this operation the machinethrough means of the propelling wheels D, D, is moving forward and theseveral followers or plungers E2, E2, E2, are being worked by means ofthe rollers f, f, f, traveling in the fixed grooved channels F, F, whichcause the followers or p-lungers E2, E2, E2, to draw in for receivingthe clay, and when the'brick is made to be forced out, and so drive outthe brick, which is further released from the mold by the vaction of thecams 7e, lc, driven by the gearing N, O, O, P, P, Q, Q, the cams 7c, 7c,striking the rollers f, f, f, when arriving in the position of f, Fig.6, and dropping or shaking the brick from the followers which beingcovered with fine cloth or other similar material are not so liable toretain or cause the soft brick to adhere. The bricks are laid in theyard side by side and in perfect layers in the manner shown in Fig. 5,and in red lines Fig. l, the number of layers being dependent upon thesize of the machine or length of the cylinders E', Gr, which, may haveone two three or more rows of molds and pressing plates.

This machine therefore not only makes bricks rapidly but of an equalthickness, sound and perfect, and by being locomotive can be moved aboutin any direction as convenience suggests, laying on the yard in regularorder the bricks as made.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is-el. The form of the pressing plates n, n, n, thicker at one edge than theother, as shown, and for the purpose described.

2. The motion of the followers or plungers E2, E2, E2, by rollers movingin fixed grooved channels F, F, and acted upon by revolving cams 7c, c,producing a drop movement and operating as herein shown and explained.

3. Propelling the machine forward by means of wheels D, D, keyed on themold cylinder shaft for the purpose of depositing the bricks as made inregular layers for dryino'.

' Jn testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name before twosubscribing witnesses this 21st day of November 1850.

JOS. GRANT. Witnesses:

A. J. HoDGEs, A.. B. CRossMAN.

